Allaho Akbar – the Comparative God
Following the defeat of Al-Quraysh tribe (an elite and influential
ruling tribe of Mecca) in January 630 AD, the prophet entered Mecca
triumphantly. He had the idols destroyed, and all the graven images
overturned from their pedestals at the Ka’aba Shrine. Ali, his son
in-law, is said to have helped smash the pagan idols. Later, Muhammad
touched the Black Stone and shouted in a triumphant and challenging
voice: ‘ALLAHO AKBAR’, meaning that his God is, comparatively, greater
than any other god by using the adjective ‘greater’ in the comparative
tense. Hence, their catchcry on their flags, in street demonstrations
and battlefields, emulate Muhammad’s triumphal act in Mecca. Muslims
employ these tactics to remind the non-Islamic governments that they are
serious. They act with hostility to show that they are in preparation
for a secessionist war. Their hostile attitude implies that they will
eventually assert their own political weight by force, as is now the
case in Macedonia. With armed struggle, they will campaign for a
separatist nation of Islam, as is the case now with the Muslim minority
in Cyprus, in Kashmir, southern Philippines and Kosovo, a province of
Serbia. The struggle continues. Muslims in the Abode of War (Dar Al-Harb)
never integrate; they segregate into their own Islamic community with a
view to carving an Islamic state of their own. While in the Abode of
Peace (Dar Al-Silm), they scheme towards converting the non-Muslim.
Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, the Sudan, Algeria and Nigeria are vivid
examples (Hiro, 1989: p 9; Al-Nahar: pp 38-39).
Besides ‘Allaho Akbar’, Islam has since come up with a number of other
Islamic war cries such as "The riders of unity," "The people of unity",
"The winds of paradise are blown/where are you, the dissenter?" and the
most daring battle cry: "Aslim taslam wa illa al-aqiba wakheema" –
surrender, (submit to Allah) and become Muslim, and be spared, or else
the consequence would be disastrous. The consequence of their Jihad is
the dreadful choice between the Koran and the sword. Their campaigns
escalate Jihad in this trend. If they survive, they live better off and
pride themselves on their achievement. If they die in battle, better
still, they are transformed into martyrs and guaranteed a place in
heaven. What more could they want? They had the material comfort and
contentment on earth, and ahead, awaited them the undeniable paradise up
in heaven (Hiro, 1989: pp 100, 111; Polk, 1991: pp 46-47).
Having secured Mecca as the centre of his new religion, Muhammad
diverted the energy of his forces against the "unbeliever" pagan, the
infidel and the polytheist. His rapid success strengthened his forces,
increased the wealth of his community and lessened tribal feuds by
pillaging the wealth of their defeated enemies. All segments of the
prophet’s followers rallied together, bound by a common faith that gave
them a sense of brotherhood and belonging. It reinforced their social
place in their community and grew stronger, economically and
ideologically. The strong community developed into a self-sufficient
society of an ever-growing Islamic (umma) nation. It has since been
known as (Ummat Al-Islam) - the Nation of Islam.
During Islam’s systematized invasion, all the small kingdoms in
Mesopotamia and the Middle Eastern region were under the yoke of foreign
rule, either as Roman vassals or as Persian satrapies. Their people,
battered, weak and heavily tolled, became an easy prey to a floodgate of
successive Arab attacks on their region, under the banner of Islam. They
became passive and their resistance waned. Successive triumphs gave the
rising nation of Islam a sense of unanimity, a sense of purpose and
drive. It enhanced their motivation towards more invasions and
expansion. Seeing their enemies, who believed in divine protection,
crumble and withdraw in haste before the conquering armies of Allah,
Islam continued with its invasions. The cities and their unarmed native
inhabitants fell silent and in obedience to the new world order, new
religion and new master. With incredible speed and impetuousness, Islam
surged forward overwhelmingly defeating its new enemies, with little or
no resistance. Islam marched forward, conquering and domineering with an
ecstasy of religious fervour and in jubilation of easy victory over
their infidel enemies. The notion of Jihad holy war united the Muslim
Arabs against their one common enemy - the non-Muslim. Holy war became
another factor that contributed to the rapid expansion of the Islamic
nation. Resistance waned against the rising armies of Muhammad. Islam
was soon firmly established in North Africa and the Middle East. Islam
became a power to be reckoned with.
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